Forum Discussion
jmtandem
Dec 03, 2014Explorer II
I have my WDH on the minimum setting of the bars - 4 links on my Easi-lift with 900lb bars. It is almost pointless on 250/3500 series truck to fight the front springs pushing weight forward from a very unloaded rear axle. I have 900lbs of tongue weight with my KZ and had very weird handling until I quit treating the F350 like my F150 which need a LOT of front compression to move some weight forward off the rear axle. Once I backed off trying to move weight forward everything fell together on handling and ride.
Don't fight the truck.
I have been saying this for years especially with heavy front engine diesel pickups. Add to that the manufacturer's design the truck to carry loads (except people) in the rear. Some trucks (like mine) sit 'butt' high empty so that when properly loaded it rides level. For some reason, people try to unload the rear where the manufacturer provides for the load to be carried and put some of that back to the front axle where no more load (or very little more) should be carried. Some truck manufacturers now state that it is not recommended to try to load the front axle anymore than half the weight taken off. Yet, so many still think that 1000-1500 pounds tongue weight needs to be reduced on a one ton or even a three quarter ton truck that has a payload of 2800-4700 or more pounds. We sometimes don't understand what a weight distribution hitch does and often confuse sway mitigation/control with weight distribution. They are two separate issues. Even the fulcrum affect of adding 1000 pounds tongue weight behind the rear axle on a stout pickup comes nowhere near the teeter totter affect that would so affect passenger cars or station wagons. In fact, it probably mades the truck ride better having a little more weight back there.
A major benefit of the premium hitches like Hensley, ProPride and PullRite is that the sway function is separate from weight distributon so the hitch can be adjusted to accommodate both as needed.
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